Page 58 of We'll Meet Again
“Hi there!” he said sunnily. “I’m Ethan Knight.”
He shook Stevie’s hand, who shot Billie an impressed, albeit bewildered look, and then he knelt down in front of Liam, who was still too starstruck to move.
“Hey, bud,” he said gently. “You ready to hang out with me and your auntie for a bit?”
Liam nodded slowly, too stunned to speak, which surprised Billie. Usually, her nephew was a ball of energy around everyone, even strangers.
“Cool!” Ethan went on. “Come on in, we’ll find something fun to do.”
“Bye, Mum!” Liam called over his shoulder as he followed Ethan into the living room.
“Love you!” Stevie called back, and then leaned in closer to whisper to Billie. “Are you dating Ethan Knight?”
“I - I think so?” Billie answered. “We weresupposedto have a date tonight to talk things over.”
“Shit, I’m so sorry. I had no idea you had plans.”
“Is it really so shocking that I’d have a date on Valentine’s Day?” Billie asked, just on the edge of being offended.
“No, of course not, but…wow, Ethan Knight, really?”
“Yes, really, now go. Your husband needs you.”
“Catch me up on everything later?”
“Of course.”
She kissed her sister on the cheek, and with one last goodbye to the kids, Stevie was gone. Billie was impressed with her sister. Grace and Liam didn’t seem to have a clue that anything was wrong. Somehow, Stevie and Joel had maintained enough composure to not upset them. Billie swallowed down her nerves and headed to the sitting room, where Ethan and Liam were already seated contentedly on the couch, pulling up something to watch on the television. Now that the initial shock had worn off, Liam seemed perfectly at ease. In fact, he even crawled into Ethan’s lap, which made Billie’s heart do an unexpected flip.
Grace lifted her head at the sound of the theme song of some cartoon show, so Billie joined the boys on the couch. Then Grace settled too, leaning back against Billie’s chest. The iron grip she had on her stuffed dog finally relaxed. Billie ran an affectionate hand through her niece’s hair.
“This would be fine if I had any idea what to feed them,” she admitted quietly to Ethan.
“You got pasta?” he asked.
She nodded. “I think so.”
“Just boil the noodles, and put butter and salt and pepper on it, they’ll eat fine.”
“It doesn’t seem very nutritious.”
“They’re at auntie’s house,” he said with a smile. “Besides, better a bad meal than no meal at all.”
She shot him a sympathetic look. “Got some experience with that, have you?”
He replied with a sad nod, his eyes still fixed on Liam. “Some.”
She pressed her lips to his shoulder. He kissed her back on the forehead.
“Think you can handle another?” she asked, indicating Grace with her head.
He patted his free leg. “Plenty of room here.”
Without protest, Grace allowed Billie to shimmy her over to Ethan’s lap with her brother, and he held both children secure in his strong arms. Her heart gave another lurch, but she got up anyway and went to the kitchen. Luckily, she knew where everything was from putting the dishes away, and Tessa kept the pantry well-organized. While the pasta boiled, she ducked into her bedroom to change into joggers and a tank top.
Ethan turned out to be right, of course. Liam ate better than Grace, who had to be distracted, which Ethan did gladly, making faces at her and blowing raspberries until she shrieked with laughter, allowing Billie to sneak bites in.
Playtime was especially entertaining. Ethan started to teach Liam to play football with a little three quid imitation ball that Stevie had found, and Liam was obsessed with. Grace on the other hand, wanted only to bounce on Billie’s knees and giggle. But an hour or so in, both children were showing their weariness. Grace cuddled up closer to Billie, her eyes falling closed, and Liam led Ethan back to the couch to sit down, getting promptly back into Ethan’s lap. His head slumped against Ethan’s shoulder within minutes of getting still.